At a time when the world was recovering from the Covid pandemic, I took a big leap of faith and started pursuing MSc in Luxury Management and Guest Experience at Glion Institute of Higher Education, Switzerland.  

I had earlier visited Switzerland with my family as a tourist, and had fallen in love with its scenic beauty and warm people. My other option was a few universities in the United States of America, but I purposely chose Switzerland as closed relatives staying in the States, and I wanted to study at a place where I am not dependent on anyone. Here, in Switzerland, I know that I have to be my own support system, and that is what has helped me grow into an independent and strong individual.

Choosing the right institute

For me, curriculum and academic framework were always of utmost importance when it came to making choices. Hailing from a marketing and management foundation, I intended to pursue a specialisation in the luxury business to enter this immersive sector. When I searched for best institutes around the globe for Luxury Management, Glion was the first one mentioned everywhere. The fact that this institute provided me training for ‘guest experience’ as well, came out as an added advantage. This was the main reason that I chose Glion for my masters degree.

In addition to this, the faculty, facilities, student-friendly admission process and inclusive environment helped me finalise Glion. Along with the reputation of being a by-word for excellence in the hospitality and luxury industry, it was also the scenic location, the multicultural environment and the international exposure which strongly backed my choice to opt for this institute.

Student-friendly admission process

My admission process — from applying for the right programme to getting the final conformation in form of acceptance letter — was very simple. I was able to handle the whole process myself, with a little help of university officials.

In a year, Glion has two intakes — spring and fall. The entry requirement for a masters programme is minimum 21 years of age and a qualification in bachelor’s degree, preferably in business or hospitality. The English proficiency level should be either IELTS 6 overall, (minimum 5.5 in each sub-component), TOEFL internet-based 80, TOEFL paper-based 550.

After submitting all the relevant supporting documents such as my resume, reference letter(s), academic records, study and post-study plan, English language attestation and a passport copy, I had an interview with my programme director, Dr Nicoletta Guisti for the final round of admission. I also have a merit-based scholarship that was awarded to me, and each individual can search for a scholarship best suited to their profile on the official website of the institute.

Firsthand experience

In luxury management, one learns how to create a brand value of luxury products and services, and also how to communicate about brand’s value with luxury marketing. This programme teaches us long-term innovation, understanding, and expertise to comprehend this distinct market appeal of a product or service. Customers frequently purchase the experience rather than the goods or services.

The academic course structure at Glion is extensive and up-to-date; working perfectly in line with the industry standards. My masters course was broadly divided into luxury business environments, marketing and brand management, luxury experience and innovation, strategies and business models. We were taught about business trends in luxury hotels/ resorts/ events, luxury fashion design, intercultural leadership, digital transformation and data analytics, sustainable luxury and design, digital marketing in the luxury industry, strategic management of luxury brands, and retail management.

Our theoretical classes were substantiated by a business field trip in Paris and a self-curated luxury event by our batch. This was ideal for acquiring extensive firsthand insight concerning the world of luxury retail, fine arts, and hospitality, to name a few. The business field trip was a standout since it allowed us to integrate our academic learning into practice. Academically, it provided me with a dynamic overview of the luxury industry. It helped me grow personally and professionally and fostered in me a greater initiative to what life has to offer.

More than just academic knowledge

My experience of studying in Switzerland has been one of a lifetime. I come from a family where I was privileged enough to not have to take up a loan to pursue my study abroad plans. But I ensured that I utilise my time here for all the right reasons.

The Glion Spirit underpins all the moments I have experienced through my study. The feeling of being embraced and appreciated in a diverse setting, as well as earning lifelong connections was by far the most precious element of my journey for me. The college not only offered scholarly but also quasi forums for students to have a university life possible. We got the opportunity to be a part of various committees that organised events.

Glion is situated in the city of Montreux, which is also known as a retirement city. So, there aren’t a lot of Indians in the city but there are a lot of Indian students in the university itself. As a result, I get to interact with people from my community once in a while which provides a comfort when needed.

However, my majority of the interactions are with locals, and I believe that is the biggest advantage I have here. Interacting with locals ensures that I do not fall in a comfort zone. It helps me push my boundaries and gives me access to learning more about the local culture, food, traditions and also helps me learn things that I wouldn’t have learnt back in my comfort zone in India.

When I came to the city of Montreux, that became a core memory for me as I was welcomed with a stunning view of the Geneva Lake, and the aesthetics of the campus certainly made me feel welcomed. The locals here were very warm and welcoming, and not even for a minute I felt out of place even on the first day. I started my journey here with student accommodation provided by the university, and our campus people were helpful in getting us settled down.

Later, I shifted to an Airbnb, which was very affordable and comfortable. So, for students who fail to find a student accommodation can also choose an Airbnb for a few weeks or a month.

Study abroad — an intellectual experience

As an international student, I had experiences that I was devoid of in India. International study experience usually presents students with opportunities to acquire more than just academic knowledge. It is an intellectual experience that includes personal growth, professional exposure, travel, and cross-cultural diversity. New experiences can be quite challenging, but they dramatically increase your initiative, as well as organisation, communication, and leadership skills. It has the potential to be profoundly transforming, and it is up to each individual to embrace it. The combined experiences leading to newer perspectives makes the study experience abroad more valuable and favourable.

When it comes to balancing expenses, I believe that planning ahead of time is the greatest method to handle the living expenses abroad. I opted not to work part-time since I intended to allocate my time to prospective opportunities on campus. I was the class representative for my batch, a member of the Master Committee, and a Glion Ambassador.

As the class representative, I had the opportunity to get personally acquainted with all academic content while being under the continual supervision of the program director. The Ambassador programme enabled me to represent the college on a plethora of occasions. Being in these positions encouraged me to enhance my organisational abilities, conquer my flaws, and discover a new version of myself.

My advice to future aspirants — Research, plan, seize the opportunity

It is critical to thoroughly research the institution and the curriculum. Alongside early planning, having a fallback plan is imperative. It is certain that studying abroad is a life-changing experience, and one should seize any such possibilities that come their way, since these experiences allow you to realise your full potential.

One important thing to remember is that don’t run behind your comfort zone, even in your study abroad experience. I purposely chose a country where I do not have family members so that I could become independent. I would advise aspirants to ensure that they, too, step out of their comfort zone as only that will help them grow in life.

Discover your passions and don’t be afraid to seize opportunities. Be committed, passionate, and motivated. Considering the world is so dynamic and fast-paced, you seldom know where you will wind up tomorrow. If you live your life and make every day an experience, I believe you will rise to your fullest potential.